Advisor for "OPZZH": Ex-banker Petro Melnyk found refuge with the scandalous General Burmych
23 April 2026 11:12Former banker Petro Melnyk is currently a suspect in two courts in the capital—the Dniprovskyi and Shevchenkivskyi courts. He is suspected of organizing a scheme to illegally smuggle people across the border, forging documents from the State Border Guard Service, and involvement in large-scale tax evasion amounting to 5.8 billion hryvnias through gambling schemes.
During the latest court hearing in the case of illegal border crossing, UA.News journalists noticed that upon entering the courthouse, Petro Melnyk consistently presented security guards with an ID card that is visually identical in color and design to that of a Ukrainian Member of Parliament.
After a thorough investigation, it turned out that Melnik is not a member of parliament. In fact, he serves as an advisor to MP Anatoliy Burmych. Using a document that mimics an MP’s ID allows the former banker to create the illusion of special status in the corridors of the courts.
A Look Back at Petro Melnik’s History
The “talented” banker Petro Melnik managed to pass a military medical examination at the Kyiv Military Registration and Enlistment Office while physically being thousands of kilometers away from Ukraine—in sunny Montenegro.
As UA.News has learned, on August 23, 2022, Petro Melnyk was deemed unfit for service and removed from military registration by the Dnipro Military Medical Commission in Kyiv. According to documents signed by the head of the commission, Olena Oleshevko, Melnyk “diligently” underwent a medical examination that day.
However, the materials of the criminal proceedings (Articles 332 and 358 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) paint a different picture. Border crossing data show that on the day of his “recovery” in Kyiv, Melnik was enjoying the sights of Montenegro. Just three days after the Medical Examination Commission, he landed at Chisinau Airport on a flight from Tivat. A handwriting analysis put an end to this story: the signatures on the medical record and the application for a military ID were not made by Melnik, but by a completely different person.
Alongside the “mobilization” schemes, Melnik is a key figure in the case involving massive “money laundering.” Through one bank and 35 shell companies, 29.5 billion hryvnias in illegal online casino proceeds were laundered, depriving the state budget of 5.8 billion hryvnias in taxes.
To be fair, in this case, Melnik fully admitted his guilt and was hoping for a “deal” from the Office of the Prosecutor General: for embezzling billions, he wanted to get off with a fine of 680,000 hryvnias. However, the judge of the Holosiivskyi District Court refused to approve this absurdity, calling the fine amount “inconsistent with the gravity of the crime.” Now the case under Article 203-2 of the Criminal Code (illegal gambling business) has been returned to the Shevchenkivskyi District Court, where proceedings are still ongoing—hopefully with no chance of a “quick and cheap” verdict.
Who is MP Anatoliy Burmych and why did he take Melnik under his wing?
The fact that Petro Melnik chose Anatoliy Burmych as his “patron” explains much about his actions and behavior in general. Burmych is a deputy from the banned “Opposition Platform—For Life” (OPFL). A career security officer, a retired SBU major general, whose dossier resembles a list of Criminal Code articles more than the biography of a statesman.
Propagandist and conspiracy theorist
Before the start of the full-scale invasion, Burmych was a frequent guest on the pro-Russian TV channels “112” and “NASH,” where he actively promoted the Kremlin’s narratives. Even after February 24, 2022, he continued to peddle conspiracy theories, hinting that the war benefits the U.S. rather than Russia, and openly mocked Ukraine’s defense efforts. His statement that “the invasion is definitely not in Russia’s interest” has been permanently etched into the annals of traitors and Ukrainophobes.
An anti-corruption activist with a criminal record
It is noteworthy that Burmych remains a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy. After all, it was he, along with Illia Kiva and other Medvedchuk allies, who demanded the repeal of anti-corruption reforms and electronic asset declarations, and who vouched for Yuriy Dudkin—a separatist political analyst suspected of treason. He was also personally implicated in journalistic investigations regarding his involvement in large-scale drug smuggling through seaports (the case involving 6 tons of cocaine in the 2000s).
A Union of Manipulators
Now this “anti-corruption activist” keeps Petro Melnyk close by as an advisor. The connection may be obvious: Melnyk, who is accustomed to “funneling” billions through banking schemes and illegal casinos, fits perfectly into Burmych’s orbit. The advisor’s ID, which Melnik waves around in court, serves as a marker of belonging to a specific caste of “untouchables” from a bygone era, who are accustomed to the idea that any law can be circumvented through connections in the security services or parliamentary immunity.
Incident in court: Melnik fled from security and a lawyer’s threats
During the latest hearing at the Kyiv District Court, an incident occurred that directly points to defendant Melnik’s manipulation of his status. While waiting for the hearing to conclude, UA.News journalists spoke with the court’s security personnel. As it turned out, court staff were convinced that Petro Melnik is a sitting member of parliament. In response to the journalists’ objections, security insisted that the defendant had repeatedly shown his Ukrainian MP ID card.
To determine whether Melnik was using forged documents, the journalists decided to wait for him to exit the courtroom. Court security even called for backup to verify the documents of the individual claiming to be a special subject.
However, the verification did not take place. As soon as the hearing ended, Petro Melnik rushed out of the courtroom and effectively fled the courthouse, ignoring security’s demands to stop.
Instead of the defendant, his lawyer stepped in. Melnik’s defense attorney categorically forbade journalists from taking photos or videos and proceeded to directly intimidate them. The lawyer stated that the UA.News editorial office and the journalist personally would bear “legal responsibility” for publishing information about this incident.
What the lawyer should know: a legal primer from the editorial team
The aggressive reaction of Petro Melnik’s defense team and the threats of “legal liability” directed at the UA.NEWS journalist indicate either blatant intimidation or ignorance of legal norms.
According to Article 307 of the Civil Code of Ukraine, a person’s consent to being photographed or videotaped is presumed if it is done openly in public places. A courtroom corridor is precisely such a public space. Furthermore, under Article 25 of the Law “On Print Media (Press) in Ukraine,” a journalist has the right to openly make recordings, including using any technical means, except in cases provided for by law.
Since Petro Melnyk is a defendant in high-profile cases involving the embezzlement of 5.8 billion hryvnias and the forgery of TCC documents, information about his behavior in court is a matter of significant public interest (Article 29 of the Law “On Information”). The lawyer’s attempts to prevent the recording of how his client uses questionable credentials to pressure security personnel may be construed as obstruction of a journalist’s lawful professional activities (Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The editorial board emphasizes: a motion for filming is necessary only for work directly inside the courtroom during the hearing. A journalist’s work in open areas of the courthouse (corridors, lobbies) does not require “permission” from lawyers or defendants, especially when it comes to exposing yet another manipulation by the defendant.
